Spellbound
by erenjaegers
Summary: Modern AU in which the ever-so confident troublemaker Eren Jaeger unexpectedly falls head-over-heels in love - with a girl whose dog is the only thing getting in between them. Fluff-filled romantic comedy featuring the other SNK characters along the way. [Eren x OC, Jean x Marco, etc.]
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note_: Hello readers! This was originally only going to be a oneshot, but I ended up falling in love with the relationship between Eren and Juline so I decided to turn it into a full-out fanfic. If you are reading my other SNK fanfic, Sea of Flames, you'll notice that the two stories are drastically different, maybe even polar opposites. Be prepared for fluffiness. c: Also, the other SNK characters _will _appear in later chapters! Just a heads-up! Enjoy~

* * *

The rainfall seemed endless. Sitting by the window in the cafe I frequented, I gazed out at the never-ending downpour of rain outside, the black storm clouds unrelenting as it unleashed its harsh wrath on the world beneath it. It had not rained this hard in years and it had come so quickly, so unexpectedly. I had been coming out of the modeling agency I worked at, still in my dress and make-up when a large shadow cast itself over the city, shrouding us in complete darkness.

The rain came moments later, powerful winds only fueling the merciless pounding of the rain upon us. I had scurried to the side, taking shelter in the nearest destination, which happened to be my favorite cafe. Thankfully, I was for the most part, dry, managing to narrowly escape the punishing storm outside. It seemed a majority of the people in here were not as lucky as I was.

Now, dozens of people crowded the cafe, seeking warmth and a bite to eat as nature had its way outside. With a warm cup of steaming hot cocoa in my hands and the comforting fragrance of coffee and pastries, I was able to soothe myself and sat alone at the back of the cafe, watching as people ran to and fro on the sidewalks, all trying to avoid getting completely soaked. The faint buzzing of the television close by forecasted a weekend's worth of rain, plus the possibility of thunderstorms and strong winds as well. I let out a sigh just as I was approached from the front by a stranger.

"Looks pretty bad outside, doesn't it?" an unfamiliar voice asked me.

I glanced at the owner of the voice, a boy of around my age, with shimmering, pristine blue eyes that seemed to suck you in as soon as you looked at them, along with a full head of chocolate brown hair that split in the middle and fell just above his large, enticing eyes. I smiled at the handsome stranger, watching quietly as he took the seat across from me and placed his coffee on the table. For a moment, we just stared at one other, attempting to familiarize each other's features, before I held out my hand, introducing myself.

"I'm Juline Schön," I greeted.

He firmly shook my hand. "Eren Jaeger."

"Ah, German, I see," I mused thoughtfully.

"I can say the same about you," he replied with a sweet-tempered smile. "_Beautiful._"

I raised a brow. "_What_?"

"Schön, your last name. It means 'beautiful' in German," he explained. Then, tilting his head to the side, a playful grin danced across his sumptuous lips. "Although, the name is quite fitting for someone like you."

I rushed to mask the gasp threatening to escape my throat, taking a drink from my hot cocoa and smiling politely at him. "You're funny, Jaeger."

"Am I? Do you like funny guys?" he spoke.

"I think every girl does. Why don't you ask that girl behind you? I'm sure she'll say the same thing," I suggested. Eren, narrowing his eyes at me in interest, declined my request and took a sip of his coffee. Once he put it down, I realized how dark his coffee was - it was a deep, almost blackish-brown, much darker than his hair was and probably a dozen times stronger than the coffee I usually drank.

"Don't you put any sugar or cream into it?" I questioned.

He briskly shook his head. "No. Well, I used to; until I had to stay up late studying for school and whatnot."

"You must be a good student," I said. "Where do you go?"

"The university down the street."

"Same here. What major?"

"Art. You?"

"Me too."

Eren smiled kindly at me then, excitement springing into his eyes. "Do you sketch? Or paint?"

"Both. I like sketching more, though, I'm not super great with brushes or anything, honestly," I admit, although I was a bit embarrassed.

He chuckled. "It's fine. As for me, I paint. And I sculpt once in a while, if anything sparks my interest..." He trailed off, gazing at me intently for a moment before looking out the window. "Oh. It stopped raining."

I followed his line of sight and saw that indeed, the heavy downpour had suddenly ceased and people could now calmly commute, hoods over their heads as they were at last allowed to slow down their frantic pace. For an instant, the sun peeked through the clouds, the thin beams of warm, yellow light illuminating Eren's features before being imprisoned behind the clouds yet again.

"Well, if you want to beat the rain, now's the time," he advised. "It looks like it'll start up again soon."

"Yeah. I guess," I said, slightly disappointed.

"You could always stay," he piped up. "Or I could come with you."

We locked eyes for a moment, my heart skipping a beat as his breathtaking eyes pleaded me not to abandon him. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded at the handsome stranger, allowing him to follow me out of the cafe. Once outside, I was welcome by a rush of chilled air, involuntarily shivering as invisible cubes of ice were pressed against my bare skin.

All the warmth I had previously had from the hot cocoa was completely gone and I found myself yearning for the dull roar of the heater back in the cafe. Eren seemed to notice my discomfort and unwound his scarf from his neck, gently looping it around me and shaking off his jacket, which he then rested atop my shuddering shoulders.

"Why today of all days to wear a dress?" he laughed.

"It was for work," I called over the rush of traffic. "Thank you, Eren."

The boy, left in a long-sleeved, white, buttoned-up shirt and black slacks that fit his form well, seemed unaffected by the cold as we stopped by the crosswalk.

"So? Where are we headed to, Schön?" he inquired curiously.

"Well, I was heading home, since my apartment is only a block away from here," I answered.

"Inviting a man to your apartment?" Eren teased. "Aren't you worried?"

I laughed. "Should I be?"

"If you mind men with large stomachs, then maybe," he replied as the light signaled us to cross. "You have a boyfriend I should be concerned about? I don't want to get beat down if I decide I like you."

I giggled light-heartedly and shook my head. "No. But I have a dog who doesn't like boys around, even if it's my brother or my dad. His name's Bean. Just a warning, Jaeger."

"He's protective, I see. I like dogs. I have one too. A golden retriever named Sawney. I've had him for three years now," he told as we made our way towards my apartment. "What breed is yours?"

"He's small, but don't be fooled. He bites hard. He's a West Highland Terrier."

"Cute. My mom used to have one a long time ago."

We made casual conversation before reaching my apartment building. It was a new, high-tech building only a few years old and full of university students and young entrepreneurs. My manager at the agency had picked this place out for me, so I practically lived here for free because he had insisted on paying my rent for me. It was walking distance from both school and work, in a convenient location that was relatively quiet in spite of the traffic just a block away.

Unlocking the door to my residence, I motioned for Eren to wait and went in first. Bean was already there, waiting for me, sitting on the wooden floor and wagging his tail happily as I came in. The white ball of fluff bounded over to my squatting form, showering me with affectionate licks and excited little barks. He was always waiting for me in the afternoon, knowing what time I would come back from class, never failing to welcome me home at the exact same time every single day. He was a punctual one.

"Bean, Mommy's home," I sang, petting him and chortling in amusement as he pranced around, jumping onto me and running in joyful circles. "You're awfully chipper for a rainy day. Why are you so happy today, huh?"

There was a knock on the door and I was suddenly reminded of Eren's presence, almost having forgotten him while playing with Bean. Bean's ears pricked up and he ceased to move staring at the door in alert, as he did when he sensed testosterone standing at the threshold of my home.

"Come in, Eren. Slowly, though. He knows you're there," I hollered.

The doorknob turned slowly as Eren lightly pushed the door open and slipped inside. Almost immediately, Bean started to growl in a threatening manner, glaring at the boy who set his coffee onto the counter and gradually lowered himself onto his knees. I watched as Bean's barking and growling faded away as Eren sat down in the corner, surrendering to the man of the house. Bean stalked over and sniffed him a bit before accepting him and sauntering away, just like that. I was rendered speechless, staring at Eren in absolute wonder.

"I'm amazed. He's never done that before," I spoke, seeing the dog walk off and lie down by the sofa. "How did you do that? Even though he's seen my brother and dad dozens of times before, he always barks at them and bites their feet and shoes. I don't know why he left you off so easily, but... _wow_."

Eren, slowly picking himself back onto his feet, shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I love dogs, so they love me."

"Put your stuff down in the living room. He won't touch it," I said and beckoned him further inside. Taking off his shoes like I had, he followed me into the living room, where two black sofas surrounded a glass coffee table, facing a flat-screen television which hung securely on the wall. Eren looked around, admiring my neat, modern residence before plopping down on the sofa. He spotted a stack of photographs on the table and began to leaf through them.

"You're a model?" he asked as I went to switch on the heater.

"Yeah, part-time. It's easy money, though it's more stressful than it looks. The agency is a few buildings down from that cafe. I'm sure you've seen girls and guys coming out of there," I said.

"I have." He stopped looking at my pictures and set them back onto the table. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"You're a hundred times prettier in real life than in these photos."

I smiled at him. "You're funny."

"So I've been told."

I took the scarf off and handed it over to him, along with the jacket. "Thank you for helping me out back there. I just came out from a photo shoot and I didn't expect there would be rain."

He chuckled. "No need to thank me. But my hands are occupied with holding this cup; may I burden you with helping me put the scarf back on? You can leave the jacket here."

I raised a brow at his request, but inclined my head. Leaning towards him, I draped the scarf around the back of his neck, carefully winding it lightly around him until it looked the way it had earlier. Just when I was going to pull away, I felt Eren's arms wrap around my waist as he gazed into my eyes with his mysterious yet beautiful blue ones. I made no move to push the handsome stranger away as he placed me gently down onto the sofa, hovering over me with an irresistible sexiness clouding his features.

"You're so beautiful. I hardly know you, yet, you're making me crazy," he whispered in fluent German, causing heat to rise into my cheeks as I clutched tightly onto him.

"E-Eren," I stammered, my heart racing wildly in my chest.

"Juline?"

I hesitated.

"You should be more careful, Bean really doesn't like it when–"

Bean flew at him like a bullet, completely dropping his reticent, accepting behavior from earlier and launching himself right at an unsuspecting Eren. I slowly sat up, watching as Eren shielded himself with his arms, wailing as Bean assaulted him with teeth gnarled and claws swiping angrily. I winced, peeling my dog off of a terrified Eren and pet him in an effort to calm him down. My efforts to appease him worked, Bean trotting off happily within a couple of minutes of tender loving care. Meanwhile, Eren let down his guard, laughing and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he watched Bean moving about by the kitchen.

"He's a tough one."

"Sorry about that." I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly.

"It's okay. He's really protective of you, isn't he?"

"Sure is."

After being left in such an awkward situation, I moved to the kitchen and returned with a bowl of chips. I sat beside Eren, putting the bowl between us as I turned on the television.

"You watch television?" I asked.

"Kind of. I like cooking shows."

"Cooking shows? Me too. Here, have some chips. There's more food in the kitchen if you want. You said you had a large stomach, didn't you?" I asked.

He beamed at me. "Thanks, don't mind if I do take a look later on."

We ended up watching cooking shows for an hour or two before he said he had a class to attend to. I walked him to the door, trying to hide how dejected I was that he was leaving. With his bookbag around his shoulder and his jacket and scarf both on, Eren put on his shoes; I watched him quietly, holding the door open for him as he prepared to depart.

"Nice meeting you," I commented, unsure of what else I could really say. I had just met him a few hours ago, yet here we were at my apartment, sitting together on my couch and watching tv together like we had known one another for years! It was a strange occurrence, really, now that I reflected on what had just taken place here. The charming, humorous stranger smiled down at me upon hearing my voice and nodded his head.

"I wish I could stay longer, but I have a sculpting class in twenty minutes," he said. "I meant what I said earlier. Y'know, before Bean attacked me. Can we meet again?"

"I'd like that a lot," I confessed shyly.

"How about tomorrow? Or is that too soon?" he asked with uncertainty.

"I'm busy tomorrow, but not Sunday."

"Sunday, then! Okay," he confirmed. "Where to and what time?"

I thought for a moment before responding. "Here, sometime around noon. Don't eat anything before. And bring your art supplies."

"Sounds good. See you then… Schon."


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's_ Note: I'm so committed to this fanfic. I've written ~20K words so far of this story and I am shipping Eren x Juline so hard. Anyway, in this chapter, 4 other SNK characters make their appearances! Original ending is for mature audiences only, but I edited it out in case some people weren't comfortable with it. c:

* * *

The next day, I was driven to a studio an hour away for a joint shoot with a mystery model who belonged to a sister agency of ours. With my makeup and hair and clothes already prepared, I entered the building with my security guard, who held an umbrella above my head as he lead me inside the haven from the storm raging on outside. Once inside, I was greeted by my manager, who stood there in his normal stance - arms crossed and a scowl etched across his features.

"Juline, you're here," he spoke.

"Sorry Levi," I hastily apologized. "The storm caused accidents on the highway. We had to reroute."

My security guard, Reiner Braun, inclined his head, confirming my story's validity. Manager Levi nodded and rushed me inside, where the staff ushered me into the set. The model I was shooting with was getting his hair touched up by the stylists and was soon released to greet me. He was a little taller than I was, with a cap of light, chestnut brown hair and a supercilious, haughty expression on his face. I greeted him, shaking his hand, and saw that he stared at me for a moment before a welcoming smile etched itself onto his face.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Juline," he spoke. "I'm Jean Kirstein, I'll be modeling with you today."

I sighed in relief at his unexpected friendly personality. In this industry, those with nice attitudes were _awfully_ hard to come around.

"Nice to meet you, too. I hope we can work well together."

We spent a couple hours modeling, changing clothes every-so-often and adjusting hair and makeup as well. It finally concluded by 6 p.m. I had arrived there at 11 a.m.

As I chatted with Levi, Jean approached me from the side with a tall, extremely handsome man with sleek blond hair and blue eyes. The man introduced himself to me as Erwin Smith, Jean's manager, and proceeded to converse with Levi casually, as they appeared to know one another. I was left with Jean, whom I had not spoken very much to throughout the seven hours we had been shooting together.

"It was a pleasure to work with a pretty lady like you," he stated and placed a kiss on my hand. "I've never met someone like you before. You don't speak much while working, unlike most models. Usually a shoot like this would take twelve hours, but we finished way earlier than that."

I laughed. "What can I say? I get my work done quickly."

"You must be hungry. Wanna get dinner together? Your manager can come along as well. There's a seafood restaurant nearby that's well-known for its lobster. It's inexpensive, too, and I don't think it'll be too crowded at this time of day."

"Sure. Levi, hear that? We're getting seafood for dinner. Jean was kind enough to invite us out," I informed.

"Do what you want," he said. "But I'm going along with you whenever you go. I'll get fired if I don't."

"That means he's excited," I conveyed to Jean when Levi wasn't listening. "Thanks for inviting us out."

He smiled. "No problem, really."

The four of us wound up at the mentioned seafood restaurant together, Jean sitting across from me and Erwin to Levi. We were served a delicious plate of lobster, along with other small dishes on the side. While eating, Jean tried to engage in small talk, being much more of a chatter box than he originally appeared to be. It wasn't that I resented it, it was just that it was difficult to eat when he was asking me so many questions. Erwin and Levi paid us no mind and spoke only to each other. Once in a while, Levi would eavesdrop on us to make sure we weren't badmouthing them when they were distracted. What started out as a casual dinner soon became a nuisance to me.

"So, what college do you go to? And what are you majoring in?" Jean asked. "I'm guessing philosophy or something like that. Maybe even dance. You look like you're a dancer."

I forced myself to laugh, just to appear polite. "I go to the local university in my city. And I'm an art major."

"Oh, art? So you paint?"

"There's more than just painting when it comes to art. I like sketching."

"Want to sketch me?"

I tried to smile. "Maybe next time."

Dinner finally ended after what felt like hours of suffering and we were both on our separate ways. In the van on the way back home, I sat there silently, relieved I had finally gotten away from Jean. Levi noticed my unusual quietness and glanced sideways at me.

"That kid talks a lot."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Arriving home, Bean greeted me happily, filling me with energy with his loud barks. After making sure he was fed, I ventured into my bathroom, showering and washing my hair, then climbing into bed and turning the television on in my room. The storm was reported to be leaving early and would clear up before noon on Sunday, just in time for my meeting with Eren. Feeling excited butterflies in my stomach, I lied down on my tummy on the bed and delved into the book I had been reading every night before bed. Soon enough, I became tired and crawled under the covers, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, I got up extra early to make myself look good and to prepare a meal for Eren when he arrived. I toiled endlessly in the kitchen, rushing back and forth, Bean following me around and picking up scraps of food that fell from the table. Soon enough, the time came and the doorbell rang, signalling his arrival. I nearly screamed aloud, taking off my apron and taking one good look at myself in the mirror before running to the door. Eren was standing there in the doorway, in a button-up white shirt and black slacks, like I had first seen him. He was in the midst of fixing his tie when I had opened the door, flushing in embarrassment when I had caught him in the act.

"Hi," we both chimed in unison, then laughed.

"Um, you look really cute today," he complimented as Bean came over to sniff him.

I was dressed in a knee-length red circle skirt and a plain t-shirt, with my hair up in a ponytail and minimal makeup on. I felt my ears burning from his unexpected compliment and smiled. "Thanks. You look cute too."

I took his hand and led him towards the dining room.

"You didn't eat right?" I asked, Eren shaking his head. "Good. Because you're going to right now."

He stared in awe at the beautifully-decorated dining table, then back at me. "All of this, just for plain-old me?"

I nodded shyly. "Well, I woke up early, and I kinda-"

He beamed at me, suddenly wrapping me in a tight embrace. "Thank you. You didn't have to." He withdrew as soon as Bean bit his foot, wincing in pain and immediately letting me go. "Forgot he was so protective of you."

"Oh - I'm sorry."

"It's okay! Really," he chuckled. "I'm not that special that you made all of this for me, am I? Did you invite someone else?"

I shook my head, moving towards the two wine glasses on the table. "No, of course I didn't invite anyone else. It's just you and I." I uncapped the bottle and began to pour into the glass. "Well, I hope you like champagne."

"I do, actually. Thank you," he said, seating himself onto the chair. I handed him the glass and the two of us toasted before taking a sip.

"Go ahead and try some. It's all for the two of us, so no need to be modest. I can't eat everything by myself," I urged. After hesitating for a few moments, he nodded and began to dig in. I ate slowly, glancing up occasionally to see his reaction. It was the first time I had ever cooked for a boy who wasn't family so I was a bit uncertain as to whether or not it was good. To me, it tasted fine, but did Eren think the same? What if he didn't like it?

"It's _delicious_," he cried out, his cheeks full of the food I made. "I've never eaten anything this good before..."

True to his word, he appeared as if he were genuinely enjoying the food, his eyes sparkling and his plate never ceasing to be full. Seeing him enjoying my cooking so much made me truly happy - it really did. I tried to conceal my grin, putting my head down and eating quietly. We chatted casually about our food tastes and what-not before discovering the table was now empty. Somehow along the way, while we were so preoccupied with talking, we had inadvertently cleaned off all of the food from the plates. I rose to collect the dishes, Eren immediately getting up to assist me even when I insisted doing it on my own.

"I'll do it, you can go ahead and sit and wait," I assured.

"No, I'm a guest, helping you out is the least I could do after you did so much just for me." We both reached for the same dish, our hands brushing against one another. We both flinched and I ended up dropping it with a loud crash onto the floorboards below, the dish splitting into dozens of pieces by our feet.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so clumsy," I sighed. "I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up."

"No, no, no, don't move. It's dangerous," Eren advised. "I'll clean it up. You hold tight, okay?"

Reluctantly sitting down on the chair, Eren disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a broom and dustpan. I watched as he crouched down, gently yet meticulously sweeping up the glass into the pan. He discarded of it, then took the stack of dishes and brought them into the kitchen. I followed after him, watching as he rolled up his sleeves and turned on the water. He washed all of the dishes in spite of my protests.

"You didn't have to. I was going to do them," I said as I handed him a towel to dry his hands.

"Shh, enough of that," he shushed me, placing a finger to my lips. "Oh yeah, I brought my art supplies like you told me. Wanna draw?"

* * *

We ended up sitting on the wooden floors of my living room, sketch pencils all over the place and the warm glow of the sun shining in through the open windows. Eren grabbed a pencil and drew a quick, cartoon-like sketch of me, playfully making my lips overly large and one of my eyes bigger than the other. I snatched the pencil from his hand competitively and whipped up a drawing of my own, making his eyebrows jungle-thick and his ears massive and round like an elephant's.

"Hey! My brows are not that thick! And my ears are not that big!"

He looked devastated but I knew he was having just as much fun as I was, if not more. We ended up drawing ridiculous, exaggerated sketches of one another and laughing our heads off in the process. We eventually loosened up and I found myself lying on the ground, covering my giggling, pink face with my arm. Recovering from a good laugh, I drew my arm away and met Eren's kind, blue eyes.

"You take my breath away," he murmured, smiling fondly down at me. "_Really_."

"Don't say things like that out of nowhere," I scolded. "It makes me embarrassed..."

"Does it?"

What seemed like a smirk ghosted his features as he pushed all of the papers and pencils out of the way, crawling over to me. He took one of my hands in his and kissed it, causing a tidal wave of emotions to flutter in my chest. My heart skipping a beat as he gazed at me, I stared into his tender eyes, seeing nothing but pure unadulterated gentleness. He was different than any other guy I had ever met before. He was neither rough nor haughty, but rather being a balance between kind and witty, something I greatly appreciated in a guy.

I had only just met him two days before, but somehow I knew he wasn't going away anytime soon. From the moment we had met, there was an instant connection between the two of us. I had always been skeptical of fate and of love, but now I discovered that I thought differently. What brought this handsome stranger into my life so unexpectedly - it had been fate, hadn't it?

"It feels like I'm complete now," he confessed. "It always felt like there was something that was missing. Now I know what that thing is."

"What took you so long to show up in my life?" I inquired softly.

He laughed, drawing himself closer until his face was hovering above my own. When our lips met for the first time, I was filled to the brim with a rush of passionate, joyful emotions, all melded into one. Never before I had I felt this loved, this happy, than I did now. My heart was roaring in my chest, threatening to burst at any instant. My hands ran through his soft, brown locks, pulling him closer to me as our lips moved in sync with one another. He withdrew for a breath, smiling at me before leaning back down to capture my lips in a more passionate, stronger lock.

I parted my lips, his tongue immediately darting in and completely robbing me of what breath I had remaining. I became dizzy under his ministrations as he kissed me with a numbing passion, his lips eventually leaving my mouth to kiss every inch of my face, then coasting down my neck. I gasped at the new feeling, crying out aloud as he assaulted the untouched skin of my neck, kissing, licking and sucking on the flesh. He returned to my lips and kissed me there once more, being more careful than ever before. Overcome with the joy swelling in my heart, I felt tears run down my cheeks, Eren moving to kiss them away.

"What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

"I'm _glad_..." I whispered. "I'm just glad I met someone like you."

"Same here," he smiled. "Don't cry, please. It's contagious."

He started to get teary-eyed as well and the two of us shared joyful tears together before Bean came over to remind us he was still there, affectionately nudging his nose onto Eren, then me. Surprised, I burst out into a bright grin.

"Seems like Bean approves of you now," I pointed out.

"Great."

He played with Bean for a little bit before suggesting we go out for a stroll at the mall. I agreed and the two of us got into his car and headed to the mall, which was only a short drive away. As soon as we entered, Eren slipped his hand casually into mine and held me close to him, his sweet, comforting scent putting me at ease. His fingers seemed to fit perfectly with mine, as if the heavens had made us for one another. I smiled shyly, turning my eyes away so he wouldn't notice the blush now rising into my cheeks. It felt as if everyone in the shopping mall was staring at us in envy, seeing just how well we fit together.

I liked him, a lot. He was different.

All went well until we managed to bump into an unlikely customer in one of the clothes stores. It was Jean with a bodyguard at his side. I quickly averted my face, hoping he wouldn't notice me, however it was already too late. He trotted over to us, waving excitedly at me.

"Juline, what a surprise!" he sang in happiness. "Shopping, I see."

"Actually, no, I'm on a date," I said. Jean's eyes widened for a moment as he noticed how Eren was standing at my side, his hand in mine. Instantly his eyes narrowed at him, scanning him up and down as if testing his worth, before completely overlooking him and looking back at me.

"I was informed you were single."

"Where did you hear that from?"

"Your manager. Who is he? Is he a model?"

"No. He's an art student like I am," I said, tightening my grasp on Eren's hand. "It was nice running into you, Jean. Have a good day."

Before we could leave, he called out after me. "You could do so much better, Juline."

I reluctantly held my tongue as Eren and I left the scene. Once we got away, I turned to Eren to apologize. "I'm so sorry about that. He's a model I had to work with yesterday. Don't take anything he said to heart."

"It's not your fault," Eren smiled in reassurance. "I won't."

I sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

Suddenly, he jolted up, as if he had come up with an idea. "Wait here. I'll be right back." Before he left, he pat my head playfully. "Don't worry, I won't leave you, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise."

He disappeared, leaving me waiting on a bench outside a game store. Minutes later, he reappeared, his hands behind his back and a grin on his face.

"Close your eyes," he spoke softly.

I did as instructed. When he told me to open them, I was presented with a large bouquet of colorful, beautiful flowers, all freshly-picked and all sweet-smelling and fragrant. Eren's bright blue eyes stared at me from behind the bouquet as he got onto a knee.

"I know this is kind of sudden, but... would you be my girlfriend?" he proposed.

I took the flowers and embraced him with all of my might, onlookers watching us in admiration. "I'd love to be your girlfriend, Eren."

"Y-you're actually saying yes?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course! We kind of... _kissed_ earlier, it'd be weird if we weren't dating. Plus, I like you a lot."

He flushed. "I like you a lot, too."

We were unable to tear our eyes away from one another.

"Um, _Eren_. People are staring," I murmured, fidgeting as passersby craned their heads to look at us.

He leaned forward, smiling serenely as his lips drew closer to mine.

"_Let them stare_." He kissed me softly, his lips like feathers against my sensitive skin. "Oops. Sorry. I forgot to ask."

"You don't have to ask!" I chuckled.

"I don't? Then if anything, don't blame me, okay?" He tilted his head to the side cutely.

"Sure."

* * *

Three months later, Eren moved into my apartment with me, bringing his dog, Sawney, along with him. Sawney and Bean despised one another at the start, but soon enough the two of them became the best of friends. It was much livelier with two more roommates to share our space with us. It was a big change, having a boy move in with me, but it was something I had always dreamed of.

Coming home one night after overtime at the studio, I discovered all the lights were switched off and it was as still as death. The dogs had come to greet me at the door, but there was no sign of Eren. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I realized it was close to midnight already and he was most likely asleep. I set down my keys on the kitchen counter and headed to the bedroom, the dogs heading to their beds as soon as I had turned off the lights. I slipped as quietly as I could into my bedroom, going into my closet and fishing out a pair of bunny pajamas. With my hair still damp from the hot shower, I returned to my bedroom, switching on the lamp and was shocked to find Eren lying there on my bed with a smile gracing his features.

"You're awake," I commented as I sat down on the bed. "I thought you fell asleep already."

"I couldn't sleep," he replied, drawing his arms around me and leaning against my shoulder. "How was work?"

I sighed. "Well, Levi was extra cranky today for some reason, so it was a little more difficult than usual. I'm just glad I'm home. Let's not talk about work."

"Okay. Sorry."

"Don't apologize," I mumbled, turning my head to look at him. "You're not tired?"

"No. I couldn't fall asleep, no matter how hard I tried. I was... thinking of things," he explained, withdrawing from me to lean back against the frame of the bed.

"'Things'?" I inquired, curiosity twinkling in my eyes. "Tell me."

He averted my eyes. "N-no, it's okay."

"Aww, c'mon, Eren," I urged. "If it kept you up until midnight, it must've been something big."

He gulped. "M-_maybe_... Did you eat dinner yet? I think there's still leftovers from what I made earlier."

"Don't change the topic. I know you're trying to hide it from me," I scolded playfully, then rested against him, hugging his arm. "If you won't tell me, I'm gonna kick you out of the room right now."

"Do I have to?" he whined. "_Juline_..."

I bonked him on the head. "No whining."

"Can we sleep? I'm tired now." He paused to yawn, stretching his arms out and snuggling into my bed. "Good night."

"Nuh uh, not so fast, mister," I said, forcing him up.

"Can we not?" Eren begged. "I really don't want to talk about it."

I suddenly felt guilty. "Okay. I'll stop. I'm sorry." I reached over to turn off the lamp and slipped under the covers. "Good night."

"Night."

Several silent moments elapsed and I still lie there, wide awake. I had let my nosiness get the better of me yet again. If things continued like this, at this rate Eren would be fed up with me and leave. My heart ached at the mere prospect of losing him. Seeking warmth, I clutched the blankets tightly to my body and closed my eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to come out. I inhaled deeply, trying to soothe the dull pain in my chest when I felt the bed shift from behind me, arms sliding around me from the back and Eren's body pressing against me, warming me up instantly. I pretended to be sleeping, even making a few soft snores to make it seem more believable.

"You're a model, not an actress," Eren mumbled. "I know you're awake, Juline."

"No I'm not," I claimed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"Are you crying?"

He must have heard it in my voice, because the next thing I knew, he had turned me completely around and wiped the tears from my face. In the dark, I could make out the distinct frown lining his face as he brushed the tears off of my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I'm such a baby."

"No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to be so rash. I'm sorry," he apologized. "Please don't cry. You know how contagious it is."

I laughed, his face becoming increasingly clearer and distinguishable in the darkness. "Okay."

"The truth is, the reason I don't want to tell you is because I'm embarrassed," he confessed softly. "I don't want you to think I'm weird."

"I already do!" I teased. "I'm kidding. I won't judge you. But you don't have to tell me if you don't want. I understand."

"You deserve to know. I don't want to hide things from you," he spoke, taking my hand and planting a kiss on it. "I... I was thinking about you. And I... yeah, I couldn't sleep."

My eyes widening in realization, I felt heat rush into my cheeks. He shamefully shrank away from me, sinking into the blankets as I recovered from my surprise. I moved towards him, draping my body on top of his, resting one hand on his chest and the other on his face, turning it ever-so-gently to me. I placed a finger to his lips, forbidding him to speak as I gingerly traced the curvature of his jawline with my fingertips, as if I were afraid I would hurt him. I felt his hands holding me firmly by the waist as I kissed him, lightly at first but more passionately as the minutes ticked by.

The truth was, Eren and I hadn't made love yet in the three months we had known each other. The farthest we had ever gone went up to only kisses and nothing beyond a little bit of touching. Other than that, we had never done the deed. However, upon hearing of Eren's frustrations, I knew that now was the time to experiment. I myself was growing impatient as well, but of course I never spoke about it to him. I was much too shy about it. Besides, I was a virgin. I had no prior experience, leaving me with little to no confidence in me or my body at all.

"If you wanted, you should have told me before," I murmured between sweet kisses. "I would have said yes."

"I didn't want you to think badly of me," he replied. "I didn't want to rush you."

I smiled, happiness welling up in my heart. Eren truly cared for me like none another, didn't he?

"I would never think badly of you," I voiced. "But I'm just going to tell you straight out right now - I've never done this before. I'm a virgin."

"Me too," he admitted, much to my disbelief. "But I'm glad you'll be the one."

"Same here," I agreed. "I never thought I would love someone as much as I love you."

"Me neither. I never believed in love at first sight before. But that all changed when I saw you," he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear and running a thumb across my cheek. After exchanging smiles, we then proceeded to share a night filled with love and passion.

* * *

_Author'__s__ Note:_ This was originally supposed to end with a detailed account of the night, but I took it out because I wanted to keep it rated T in case some people weren't exactly comfortable with reading that kind of stuff. :3 But if you are curious as to how this turns out, feel free to message me~


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Yay! I haven't updated since March, but here's chapter 3! Don't forget that I have a website as well, and I update it probably more frequently than I do on this one. ej - fanfiction . weebly . com!

* * *

The next morning, I had trouble walking around, my whole body sore from the previous night's activities. Crawling onto the couch, I switched on the television and curled up with a bowl of cereal. Sawney and Bean gathered beside me, seeking affection, so with one hand I pet them and the other I used to eat. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching and leaned back, the upside-down image of Eren coming into my line of sight.

"Morning," I sang, my mouth full of cereal.

He stooped over me from behind, planting a tiny peck on my nose. "Morning."

"You sure slept in today," I pointed out. The clock read just a quarter past noon. Eren would usually be up several hours before that, in the kitchen making something for breakfast or in the studio painting something.

"Well, what can I say? I was tired," he admit with a blush on his cheeks. He pet the dogs as he moved through, seating himself in front of me. "What should we do today?"

"We both have no class, so..." I thought for a moment before coming up with a good idea. "I got it! Let's walk the dogs! C'mon!"

I hastily rose from my seat and rushed to grab the leashes from the hook on the wall, Sawney and Bean trailing after me as if they understood what was about to happen. I hated to keep them pent up in my apartment, where they had limited space to roam around and play. I tried to walk them twice a day but sometimes it was difficult to schedule according to convenient times for Eren and I, since we enjoyed walking the two of them together. The two could be quite a handle, especially whenever we passed by patches of grass and fire hydrants. Let's just say they enjoyed to mark their territory.

"Walk the dogs? Aww, come on, Juline! I wanted to do something with just the two of us!" Eren whined, puffing his cheeks in defiance. "Hey, what about your bowl of cereal? You haven't even finished half of it!"

I sighed. "You finish it, please. If you don't hurry though, I'll leave without you."

"Alone? No way."

Eren soon got a job at the cafe we had met at several months before. He often stopped by the studio to deliver me food, eventually becoming a frequent visitor whom everyone was accustomed to seeing. Levi addressed him as my '_annoying boyfriend_', probably because Eren never brought him any food. Everyone liked him though, and that in itself made me unbelievably happy.

After meeting with the higher-ups of my modeling agency, I ventured out into the hallway to see Jean was leaning against the wall there, waiting for me. His manager was nowhere in sight.

"Hi, Jean, it's been a while," I greeted politely, though my smile was forced.

"Hey." He took my hand, kissing it before I had much time to react. "How have you been?"

"Er... Alright. You?"

I tried to ease my way out of spending more time with him, but he was adamant at stalling me for as long as he possibly could. It had been more than three months since I had last seen him, the last instance being when he had openly insulted Eren in his face. Since then, I had not heard much about him save for the gossip perpetually flowing out of the mouths of the staff. I knew I would run into him soon enough, however that expectation did not seem any less dreadful as time went on.

"You have lunch yet?" he asked as I attempted in vain to leave.

"I was actually going to get some right now. I'm kind of in a rush, I apologize."

"Oh, really? Care if I join? I'm a bit hungry myself."

"Sorry, that's not happening," a familiar voice sang. Eren appeared just in the nick of time and sensing my discomfort, wrapped his arm protectively around my shoulders, placing Jean in a state of shock.

"You're still with this guy?"

"Yes, she is. I hope you weren't trying to harass my girlfriend, good sir," Eren answered in place of me. "I'm mistaken, correct?"

Jean stared at him contemptuously, eyes narrowing and lips curling into a sneer. "Trying to sound educated, huh? Well what makes you think you're good enough for her?"

"You didn't answer my question, sir."

"Neither did you."

There was tension literally sizzling between them. Thankfully, at that moment, Jean's manager, Erwin, and Levi approached, inadvertently saving us from a catastrophic blowout. Jean was forced to back down, Levi suspiciously eyeing us as he handed me a thick, heavy envelope. I tossed it back and forth in my hand, curious as to what could be inside.

"It's a gift from me for working so hard the past year," Levi said, sipping his steaming hot coffee. "Go help yourself. And your boyfriend here."

"What?"

He had already began walking off, no desire at all to answer any of my questions.

"Thanks! You're the best manager ever!" I called at his retreating form. He turned around, and for a split second I could have sworn I had seen a smile on his face before he disappeared around the corner.

"So... wanna grab lunch?" Eren asked.

"I'd love to."

* * *

Time seemed to fly past my eyes and before I knew it, we were already graduating from university. Eren became a full-time artist and I balanced my modeling with my illustrating career. We had just recently moved into the brand-new house one of Eren's friends had designed for us and had our own studio just for the two of us to work in. Sawney and Bean even had their own rooms and an automatic doggy door in case they ever wanted to go into the yard. It was a little larger than average-sized homes, yet it fit the four of us just perfectly. We held a house-warming party two weeks after moving in and our former classmates, friends, and colleagues all came to see the house.

"Yo, Eren. You think this looks okay?" I inquired, stepping out of the bathroom uncertainly. I was dressed in a long red, formal dress, with a v-neck that sloped just above the valley between my breasts. Eren, who was standing by the bed fixing his tie, stopped to look at me, his eyes instantly going wide. Feeling suddenly self-conscious under his intense gaze, I looked down at my dress and frowned. "Maybe I should wear the black one."

"No, no, you look really good. I just... lost my breath for a moment," he admitted, his cheeks flushed as he shyly averted his eyes.

"Oh!" I cried. "_Oh_."

He chuckled and paced over to me, hugging me tightly to him. "You're so cute, Juline."

"Oh, hush," I said in embarrassment. I pulled away to help him adjust his tie, my fingers skillfully tightening it and resting it against his white, buttoned-up dress shirt. "Is Armin coming today? I'm sure everyone is probably wanting to hire him to design their homes, too, after seeing our house."

"He's definitely coming. Mikasa will be mad if he doesn't. Your grumpy manager said he could make it, right?" he inquired.

"Mhm." I heard the dogs barking excitedly and jumped up. "Oh! Someone's already here. Come on."

The two of us ventured downstairs, where Sawney and Bean sat calmly by the door. The first to arrive had been Armin and Mikasa, whom Eren had known since his childhood. Armin was an architect and Mikasa was a student, and together, the three of them made quite an unlikely trio. I grabbed the two of them with a smile on my face and dragged them inside, closing the door after them. Eren decided to show them around so I waited by the door for the others to arrive. Soon enough, the doorbell rang and I scrambled over to open it. My two best friends since childhood, Connie and Sasha, both grinned at me before tackling me with hugs. It had been a long time since I had seen them - maybe several months. They had been busy and so had I, so meeting like we once used to was more difficult than it sounded.

While I had gone into the art field, the two jesters had pursued careers as police officers. I knew they had both graduated from the police academy, but I had yet to learn of all the details. Welcoming them inside, I was surprised to see they had brought along their two police dogs, both German Shepherds, but one was an adult and the other a puppy. Sawney and Bean approached them with caution, seeing how large they were, but to my delight they all seemed to get along. Connie and Sasha unleashed the two German Shepherds and allowed their dogs to mingle with Eren and I's dogs.

"Dang, this is a nice house!" Connie mused as we toured around. We passed the dining room, where I caught Sasha drooling over the delectable dishes set up on the table inside. I took them to the back, where I slid open the glass doors and showed them the yard. There was a bar and a grill out back along with a pool and Jacuzzi. There was also a place for the dogs to play, which was separated from the garden by a white picket fence.

"Woah, this is amazing," Sasha breathed. "How much was it to build this place?"

I grimaced. "A lot. But it's okay. Eren and I share the fees, so to speak."

"You must be planning to live here all your life then," Connie spoke. "So, when do we get to meet your boyfriend? How long have you been together?"

I smiled fondly. "Two and a half years now, I believe."

"Oh! Is that him?" Sasha suddenly cried, grabbing onto my arm. At that moment, Eren rounded the corner with Armin and Mikasa, heading in our direction. My heart skipped a beat as his misty, beautiful blue eyes rested on my own, his dazzling smile accentuating his gorgeous features. Sasha stared at me in awe as I naturally moved toward Eren, his hand taking mine in a warm grasp.

"Eren, this is Connie and Sasha, my two best friends. Connie, Sasha, this is Eren," I introduced, feeling proud of both sides and excited my friends could finally meet my boyfriend. They shook hands, exchanging greetings before Eren introduced Armin and Mikasa to Connie and Sasha.

Recognition crossed Connie's face as he shook Mikasa's hand. "H-hey, wasn't it you who I pulled over last week for speeding?" Connie asked.

"Yeah."

Eren was baffled. "Oh, you met before? And Mikasa, why were you speeding?"

"I don't know."

The doorbell rang then, so leaving the guests with Eren, I went to welcome in the newcomers. It was Ymir and Krista, whom I had known since high school. Ymir worked with the postal service so some days she would stop by the house to deliver our mail and flirt with me, too, if Eren wasn't around. Krista, on the other hand, worked part-time at a convenience store while studying medicine at the local medical school.

"Come in!" I exclaimed in excitement.

Krista stared around in bewilderment. "It's enormous!"

"Come to think about it, I've never been inside before," Ymir commented. "Where's your precious?"

"Oh, right! I've heard tons about your boyfriend but I've never met him before. Where is he?" Krista questioned curiously.

"He's inside with the others. Just follow me."

However, the doorbell rung yet again before I could lead them away. It was Levi and behind him was Marco, a fellow model who worked at the same agency I did and a mutual friend between Eren and I. Marco was tall and freckled, with a bubbly, optimistic personality like none other. He had known Eren for a while now and only recently had we met while collaborating for a photo shoot.

"Huh?" I peeked my head out the door. "Where are the bodyguards? Weren't they coming?"

"They're on their way," Levi informed.

"Ohh. I see. Well let's all head inside so you guys can meet everyone else!" I led the group back to join the others, Eren turning to greet everyone politely. Sasha seized me by the arm, grinning widely.

"Are we eating soon?"

"Don't worry, we will. We're just waiting for a couple more people, then we'll start. Hang in there." I patted her flat, empty stomach and laughed as she nodded her head in a child-like manner.

Everyone was getting along well. Every one of my friends seemed to like Eren and it made me happy to see everybody together, speaking casually as if they had all known each other for a long time. Jean soon stopped by with the three bodyguards - Reiner, my bodyguard, Bertholdt, Jean's bodyguard, and lastly Annie, Marco's bodyguard. The four piled in, Jean making a rush to brazenly hug me in front of Eren. I heard Levi mumble insults under his breath as the chatterbox joined the occasion.

"Annie, you actually came!" Marco shouted in surprise.

"Oh, Marco, you're here, too?" Jean released me and went over to him. Eren immediately placed and arm protectively around me in case he tried anything strange again.

"Yeah, Eren and I are friends and I know Juline from work," Marco explained.

Reiner pulled me aside. "Sorry. We had no choice but to bring him along. He heard Bertholdt and I talking about coming and decided to tag along."

I shrugged. "It's fine. Besides, I had a feeling he would find out anyway. Erwin isn't coming?"

"He says he has business so he couldn't make it," Bertholdt spoke. I nodded in understanding.

I clapped loudly to gain everyone's undivided attention. "Alright, now that everyone's here, let's start eating, shall we?"

We ate heartily for an hour or two before moving out to the yard to enjoy the night view and allow the others to venture around, Sawney and Bean and Sasha and Connie's Rocky and Stone frolicking around in the doggy playground. In the garden, while everyone went around admiring all the variety of plants we grew, Eren and I paused for a break on the bench beneath the arch, hands intertwined and hearts at ease.

We gazed up at the vast beauty of the universe, every minute or two pointing out any constellations we recognized. Ten minutes into our stargazing, we spotted a brief streak of white light dart across the sky and for the first time in my life, I saw a shooting star. Closing my eyes, I made a wish, my hand tightening its grip around Eren's. I wished for eternal happiness, something I knew was bound to come true as long as I had my friends and Eren by my side.

"What'd you wish for?" Eren whispered in my ear, interrupting my train of thought. Under the milky white glow of the moon, I gazed into his deep eyes, sucked in by his effortless majesty and charm. A playful smile on my lips, I shook my head, retaining my silence as I stared up at the endless sky above our heads.

"It's a secret," I responded after moments of silence elapsed, the others far off in the distance, taking turns on the hammock and Connie and Sasha attempting to climb the orange tree.

"Are you sure you want to hide stuff from me?" Eren chuckled, sneaking a kiss to the back of my neck. "I have ways of finding stuff out, don't you know that already?"

I shivered from the feeling of his soft, warm lips trailing along the back of the neck, his kisses moving to my neck and up to my ear, where he let out a hot breath. I cried aloud, scooting away from him to see he had a devious grin on his face. He knew, without me having to say a word, that he had won.

"Okay, you win, just stop," I surrendered.

He nodded intently. "Go on."

"I wished to be happy like this forever," I confessed. "But now that I told you, will it still come true?"

He swooped over me to give me a kiss. "Of course it will." As I tilted my head to the side thoughtfully, he lowered his voice to a faint whisper. "Wanna know what I wished for?"

"What?"

"That you'd say yes."

I raised a brow. "Yes to what, Eren?"

"To _this_."

He suddenly slid off the bench and onto a single knee before me, pulling a black, velvet box out from his right pocket. The luminescent light of the moon flooded his celestial features as his dexterous, graceful fingers popped open the box, a glinting, beautifully-sculpted diamond ring coming into view. Through his chocolate brown hair and long lashes, Eren gazed at up me, his eyes so tender, so sweet, that I found myself unable to comprehend what was currently taking place before me. He smiled at me, my heart nearly stopping as he parted his lips to speak.

"Juline Schön, will you marry me?"


End file.
